Cornelius j



UNITED STATES IATENT OFFICE.

CORNELIUS J. VAN OECKELEN, OF NEr YORK, N. Y.

MELODION.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 29,023, dated July 8, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CORNELIUS J. VAN OECKELEN, of New York, in the county and State of New Yori, have invented, made, and applied to use certain new and useful Improvements in Melodions; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and correct description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, in which- Figure I, is a front view of my improvements as applied to anvordinary melodion; Eig. II, a top view of my instrument, showing' the key-board of the same; Fig. III, a sectional view of the instrument, as made by me.

Similar parts of the invention are designated by the same letters.

The nature of my invention consists in combining with an ordinary melodion, (A) al support B) on which the wrists of the performer shall rest, and which support (B).

being connected with the bellows (C) of the instrument by means of the uprights (D, D) enables the party performing` upon the instrument, to supply sullicient air, for the production of sound, without using his feet or employing an assistant, as is sometimes necessary to effect the same result.

The advantages to be derived from my improvement, are the comparatively cheap price at which they (the instruments) can be afforded and their compactness and portability.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

My improved instrument as at present constructed may be made in the shape of a box and of any desired size. It is provided with a key-board (E) and has a compass of four octaves extending from C eight feet (F) to C half a foot (G) while the lowest C in the base is equivalent to the lowest C in the ordinary melodion. The agents employed ,by me for the production of the sound, consist of the reeds (fz, 7L, It), one reed for each key, which is caused to vibrate by the air passing through the reed-hole or aperture The mode of supplying the air, consists in attaching to the instrument the support (B) previously described, which is connected to the bellows (C) by the upright-s (D, D)

and which support (B) being pressed on alternately by the wrists of the performer, while operating the keys (I, I,) in the keyboard (E) of the instrument, causes the bellows (C) to drive the air, through the airconductors K) into the air-chamber (L) from which it passes into a reservoir (M) b f means of the conductors (N, The performer by pressure upon the keys (I I) on the key-board (E) opens the valve (0), by which means the air passes through the apert-ure or reed hole (II), causing the reed (L) to vibrate.

To guard against too great an expansion of air, the reservoir (M) rests on spiral springs (y), p) and is provided with the valve (Q) operated by means of the pin (r)-that is to say, the reservoir (M) being over filled with air, descends, compressing the spiral springs (y), 2)) and the valve (g) placed on the under side of the reservoir (M), as the same descends, comes in contact with the pin (r) which causes the valve (Q) to open and allow the surplus air to escape.

In the drawings, I have shown the course of the air, by the arrows.

By this mode of construction, it will be seen that I produce an instrument of convenience in size, and one afforded at an exceedingly cheap rate, while from the smallness of the instrument, the sounds produced are of the most agreeable character, while the slightest pressure only is required upon the support, while performing upon it. I do not intend to confine myself to any particular size of instrument, as it may be desirable to make them larger or sometimes smaller than in the present instance.

I am fully aware that a melodion has been so constructed, that the party performing on the same, would be enabled to supply a sufficient quantity of air, without using the feet or blowing.

)Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

The combination of the support (B), uprights (I), D) and melodion (A) when the same shall be arranged and operated as herein described and for the purpose as set forth.

C. J. VAN OECKELEN.

In presence of- CHS. VAN OnonELnN, A. SIDNEY DoANE. 

